Electrically powered sump pumps and utility pumps are presently widely used commercially and by households for pumping water and other fluids as may be needed. Quite often, these pumps are required to be submersed in the fluid and, therefore, require a closed or hermetically sealed pump motor. For example, a submersible sump pump is generally used by locating the pump on the floor of a sump pit and is adapted for being selectively energized and draining the sump pit as water accumulates therein. Submersible utility pumps are also quite often used for draining water from, for example, swimming pools, ponds, etc., and are submersed within the water being pumped.
Prior enclosed motors used in conjunction with sump and utility pumps, however, have substantial shortcomings and drawbacks. Quite often, the hermetic seals of the motor housing break down in a short period of time allowing water to enter the housing and come in contact with the electric motor thereby rendering the motor inoperative. Prior motor housings and components have quite often been made of steel or other materials subject to erosion or oxidation and have used paint or other coatings for inhibiting erosion thereof. However, these paints and coatings tend to chip or otherwise become detached and the motor housing and other components erode, at first, merely making the pump motor unsightly and, thereafter, potentially leaking water to the electrical components of the motor within the housing and, again, rendering the motor inoperative.
The manufacturing and/or assembly time of prior enclosed pump motors is generally quite long and significantly adds to the cost of the pump motor. Furthermore, prior pump motors require a large number of component parts and, the components themselves quite often require substantial manufacturing time and costly materials, thus, again substantially increasing the cost of the enclosed pump motor.
Accordingly, a need exists for an enclosed pump motor that, in general, is erosion resistant and wherein the seals thereof are substantially long lasting during normal submersed operation. Furthermore, a need exists for an enclosed pump motor incorporating component parts that are, in general, inexpensive and require limited manufacturing or assembly time thereby comparatively decreasing the overall cost of the enclosed motor and pump.